The Kidney Transplant Program Team

Transplant Surgeons Nephrologists Administrative Director of Transplant Nephrology Nurse Clinicians Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Coordinators Transplant Coordinators Social Worker

Financial Counselor Renal Dietitians Transplant Pharmacist  Research Coordinators Living Donor Advocate  Support Staff and Administration

Transplant Surgeons

Transplant surgeons are physicians who specialize in transplant surgery. The surgeons’ expertise includes transplantation of adult-sized kidneys into infants, transplantation of children with severe congenital urologic problems and surgery of newborns with end stage renal disease.

Stephan Busque, MD, FRCSC Waldo Concepcion, MD - Program Director

Amy Gallo, MD

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Nephrologists

Nephrologists are physicians who specialize in diseases of the kidney. One of the key reasons for the Kidney Transplant Program’s high success rate is our attention to getting patients into the best possible medical condition before transplant.  Nephrologists also help manage your child after surgery.

Steven Alexander, MD - Medical Director of Dialysis and Transplantation Program Chief, Division of Pediatric Nephrology Abanti Chaudhuri, MD Paul Grimm, MD

Scott Sutherland, MD Elizabeth Talley, MD Cynthia Wong, MD

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Administrative Director of Transplant

The administrative director of transplant provides leadership and management for the kidney transplant and dialysis services.

• Vikram Acharya

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Nephrology Nurse Clinicians

These nurses serve as part of the multidisciplinary team that provides optimum care for nephrology patients and their families.

Lonisa McCabe, RN, CNN

Gina Ragsdale, RN

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Pediatric Peritoneal Dialysis Coordinators

In addition to providing care and education to children and adolescents with end-stage renal disease who depend on dialysis, patients and families are trained to perform peritoneal dialysis at home.

Kari Salsbery, RN, BSN, CNN

Brandy Begin, RN, BSN, CNN

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Transplant Coordinators

Trained as nurses, the transplant coordinators organize all aspects of care for the child before and after the transplant, providing education to you and your child and coordinating diagnostic testing and follow-up care.

Gerri James, RN, CCTC - Lead Coordinator Darcy Getchell, RN, MS, PNP

Lynn Kjelson, MPH, MMS, PA-C

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Social Workers

The Pediatric Kidney Transplant Program’s social worker supports families in dealing with the issues that can arise around lodging, transportation, finances and legal questions. She can also help coordinate alternative schooling so that children do not fall behind because of hospitalization.

Taryn Shappel, MSW

Apryl "Avry" Todd, MSW

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Financial Counselor

The financial counselor helps families deal with insurance authorization issues and living expenses before and after the transplantation.

Rebecca Sullivan

Veronica Reyes

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Renal Dietitians

The renal dietitians work closely with you and your family to ensure that your child’s nutritional needs are met before and after transplant.

• Jennifer McAlmond, RD
• Sabrina Martinelli, RD

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Transplant Pharmacist

• Angela Lau, PharmD
  

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Research Coordinators

The research coordinators handle both the administrative side of research — from talking to families about the studies underway to obtaining informed consent — and the clinical side — ensuring, for example, that patients take medications on schedule and undergo scheduled tests.

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Living Donor Advocate

• Annette Nasr, RN, PhD

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Support Staff and Administration

Sarah Hammersley Pediatric Kidney Transplant Patient Care Coordinator Irene Fantozzi Pediatric Nephrology and Dialysis Coordinator

Kim Sands Administrative Associate, Nephrology

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